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Washington Evening Journal
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Fair auction makes for big dollars, big emotions
WASHINGTON — Exhibitors and area business leaders gathered at the Washington County Fairgrounds show ring for one last, fateful event Friday morning: the livestock auction.
The day is meant to reward the time, energy and effort 4-H’ers put into their projects. It’s not uncommon to see an animal go for twice its market value as buyers express their support for the showmen.
Auctioneer Riley Sieren said the practice was an increasingly rare display of “sweat equity” for exhibitors’ hard work.
“They get a premium … and our local support here is tremendous, compared to a lot of county fairs,” he said. “A lot of county fairs have gotten away from the auction, they just kind of sell their ribbons for like $100, $200. Then all of a sudden, a kid gets to sell a 1,500 lbs. steer here for $2,000 or whatnot. It’s a pretty big deal, that’s a lot of money to a kid.”
Most of the buyers bid on behalf of area banks and agriculture-adjacent businesses.
One, representing farm equipment supplier Stutsman Inc., said it was the company’s way to give back, investing in college savings and future fair projects for the next generation’s potential producers.
“It’s a chance to recognize and reward the agricultural youth of our community,” said Co-Owner Mark Stutsman. “The community has given so much to our family and our employees, and it’s just to give back, in — we think — a meaningful way … we seek out ways to support our community’s youth and agricultural interest, and this event marries those two.”
Typically, the livestock is later resold at a loss, usually through the Kalona Sale Barn.
Other times, it’s simply gifted back to the exhibitors who get to take the animal home.
Kenzie Miller, whose birthday happened to fall on Friday, was one of the lucky 4-H’ers leading her goat back to the barn after the auctioneer’s metaphorical gavel fell. She said she was grateful to the generous buyer.
“I really liked that goat, so that makes me kind of happy,” Miller said. “A lot of times you have that animal for so long, and you just make a connection to it and get used to it, so it can be really sad.”
Exhibitors across departments expressed a similar anxiety as the start time drew closer, filling the time with careful preparation of their soon-to-depart animals, or busywork cleaning up the week’s various livestock stalls and storage areas. Some gathered in small groups to commiserate as the minutes ticked away.
Emma Greiner, 12, signed up to sell one sheep at the end of the fair. After about four months raising the natural wether, she said it was the right decision, no matter how difficult.
“He’s a boy, so he can’t really do anything,” she said. “It’s like my pet, kind of.”
Gracie Wood sold rabbits at the auction, as well as a beef market cow which she’d raised from a bucket bottle calf.
“I’m trying my hardest not to cry,” Wood said. “My animal, when she was a baby, she had a broken leg. So she needed me more than others would. It’s going to be really hard to let her go, because she’s also my first bucket bottle.”
As for whether the tear-jerking affair gets any easier with age and experience, older 4-H’ers offered differing perspectives.
Destiny Boone led all three of her showing sheep from this year’s fair into the auction ring early in the day. The outgoing senior said a sense of finality made her feelings that much stronger.
“I raised them on our own,” she said between deep breaths, just minutes before bidding began. “It’s very emotional, because this is my last year.”
Jenna Waters, another senior marked by her gray exhibitor’s shirt, sold a single goat Friday morning. She said she had come to terms with the choice, but that it got harder to make with every fair.
“Once you grow a connection with animals, it’s really hard to see them go and let them go, but it’s kind of a part of the process” she said. “I don’t think it really gets easier, as you go on. Each year, you make more of a connection with each animal. Especially senior year, I’ve worked a lot harder with them.”
Hunter Robertson auctioned off two wethers and several rabbits throughout the day.
He said he’d managed to mostly take his feelings out of the equation, although in his case the day was improved by a buyer’s choice to send his favorite Boer goat back to the barn instead of onto a trailer.
“This is the one I wanted, and the people that bought it are close friends of mine and they understood that,” he said. “I got lucky with this one … I’ve had to learn to not attach myself to these animals, because at the end of the day, they’re going to become someone’s dinner.”
Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com
